Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 129

129

“Mother, I’m home.”

“You’re early; the appointment is still a ways off…”

Shin Myung-soon’s voice lacked energy. It was understandable, considering she was practically being kicked out of a place she’d been for ten years. How could she not be upset?

“Are you very upset?”

“Upset is one thing, but what I can’t understand is that landlord. How can someone wearing a human mask do such a thing?”

“They say the ones who already have it are the worst.”

“I was really surprised. I truly didn’t know he could be so vile until the very end.”

Shin Myung-soon gritted her teeth.

A full ten years. Of course, it was a relationship between a tenant and a landlord, but she couldn’t understand how he could end it like this.

In the end, tears welled up in Shin Myung-soon’s eyes.

Hyun-sung saw her expression.

“Mother.”

“I’m sorry. I tried to hold it in until the end, but I was so wronged that I just…”

“…….”

Hyun-sung didn’t have anything particular to say.

Just then, the Ssin Ramyeon [a fictional brand of instant noodles] commercial started playing on TV again.

Shin Myung-soon looked at Hyun-sung and said,

“Hyun-sung, that’s it, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“I was so surprised when I saw it earlier. I was going to confirm it with you when you came, but I forgot all about it because of that man.”

“A lot of people are surprised by that commercial today. It caused quite a stir at our house too.”

Of course, the result was that it bounced off to Kim Il-soo.

Anyway, getting Kim Il-soo to come home by next week won’t be easy. Even if I get him to come, explaining things once he’s there will be an even bigger problem.

In any case, it was true that his quick-tempered mother had caused him a lot of headaches.

Then Shin Myung-soon asked again.

“Is it true?”

“What is?”

“Did Ssin Ramyeon really appear in your dream?”

Hyun-sung just smiled instead of answering.

He was tired of saying the same thing to everyone he met. It was the same repetition. His family, Park Hee-chul, and even Lee Jung-woo’s mother, Shin Myung-soon.

“How can that be? How can a ramen that hasn’t even come out yet appear in a dream?”

That was right.

Dreams generally come from experiences in one’s past life. But this was a ramen that hadn’t even come out yet, and the image was exactly the same, so from the viewer’s point of view, it was maddening.

When Hyun-sung remained silent, Shin Myung-soon asked again.

“Then, is that also true?”

“What are you referring to…….”

“Why, you told me at first that this place would be a hit. You saw it in a dream?”

“Ah, yes, of course. Why would I lie about that?”

Hyun-sung said confidently with a smile.

Then Shin Myung-soon smiled and nodded.

“Then that’s enough.”

“Yes?”

“As long as it’s a hit, I’ll work hard even if it’s just because I don’t want to see that man’s face. And I’m going to watch. To see how well he does after taking someone else’s store.”

Shin Myung-soon was still burning with animosity towards Oh Sang-cheol.

Looking at Shin Myung-soon, Hyung-sung said again.

“Mother, let’s completely crush that man.”

“Yes, let’s do that. Let’s teach him that if you make someone cry tears of blood, you’ll cry tears of blood yourself.”

Shin Myung-soon clenched her fist and shook it.

A little later.

People started arriving at the store one by one.

Lee Jung-woo arrived first, then Kim Il-soo. And finally, Park Cheol-min.

They had agreed to meet today to move the moving items.

Hyun-sung looked at Shin Myung-soon and spoke first.

“Mother, please separate what you’re going to take and what you’re going to leave here.”

“I’ve already set aside what I’m going to take.”

“So, we just need to move this stuff?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Shin Myung-soon replied in a weak voice.

Then Kim Il-soo, who was standing behind, asked.

“Then are we just throwing away the rest?”

“I’m tempted, but it’s too much work to move it home, and there’s no guarantee I’ll ever use it, so I have no choice.”

“Ah, I see…….”

Kim Il-soo seemed to regret it.

Then an idea popped into Hyun-sung’s head.

‘That’s it!’

“Mother, should we sell this?”

“Sell this?”

“When I think about it, it’s too much of a waste. If it were a close friend, I wouldn’t mind giving it away, but I don’t think we need to give even one thing to that landlord.”

“Who would buy this……?”

Before he could finish speaking, Hyun-sung started flipping through the phone book.

Back then, every house had a phone book.

After searching through the phone book for a while, Hyun-sung started making a call.

A moment later.

Hyun-sung, who had finished the call, looked at Shin Myung-soon and said.

“He said he’ll be here in two hours.”

“Who?”

“The person I just talked to. He deals in used kitchenware and said he’ll come by later to take a look.”

“That’s good. I didn’t want to give that man even one plate. Let’s sell it today and eat some pork belly. Everyone’s working hard, so that’s great.”

Shin Myung-soon’s expression seemed much better than before.

Then Lee Jung-woo looked at Hyun-sung and asked.

“How did you think of that?”

At first, Hyun-sung hadn’t thought of that either.

But when Kim Il-soo expressed his regret from behind, it suddenly came to mind. Also, he thought it would be better to do so if he could get even a penny for Shin Myung-soon.

“Mother is too regretful. And I don’t think it’s about the money. It’s not like we’re handing over the store and leaving, we’re being kicked out, so it’s too unfair. I can’t leave even one plate for such a person, like Mother said.”

“I feel the same way. Anyway, thank you.”

Lee Jung-woo thanked him and patted Hyun-sung on the shoulder. Then he looked at his mother.

He knew that his mother hadn’t slept all night last night. Then she left the house early in the morning.

He didn’t need to ask where she was going.

Seeing his mother struggling even more these days, he could only blame himself for not being able to do anything.

“Okay, let’s start moving.”

At Hyun-sung’s words, everyone who had gathered began to move.

Some time later.

“Is this the last one?”

Kim Il-soo said as he put down the luggage.

Then Shin Myung-soon looked around at the luggage and said.

“Yes, that’s the last one. I reduced it as much as possible, but there’s still so much. Thank you all for your hard work.”

The move took less than three hours.

The used goods dealer also came in the middle.

Fortunately, Shin Myung-soon seemed less upset, thanks to receiving 20,000 won [approximately $20 USD, adjusting for the time period].

“Everyone worked hard. Let’s go eat some pork belly.”

Shin Myung-soon’s expression was much brighter.

Lee Jung-woo was the same.

When he first entered the store, his face was very dark. But now that the move was over, he was much brighter.

Hyun-sung and the other five headed to Miso Restaurant.

Oh Sang-cheol, Choi Min-sung, and Oh Sang-mi arrived at Shin Myung-soon’s snack bar.

Oh Sang-mi is the younger sister of the landlord, Oh Sang-cheol.

“It’s clean.”

Oh Sang-cheol muttered as if he was disappointed.

Then Choi Min-sung, who was next to him, responded.

“Hyung [older brother/male friend], it’s very clean. There isn’t even one plate.”

“Tsk, tsk. That’s what I’m saying, if I had known this would happen, I would have given her even 10,000 won and told her to leave the equipment.”

Oh Sang-cheol was clearly expressing his regret.

Oh Sang-cheol’s aim was simple.

If Shin Myung-soon left the equipment, he would buy only a few necessary items and start operating right away. He had no intention of spending money on construction from the beginning.

The construction was actually an excuse. He had to do that to justify kicking Shin Myung-soon out of the store. But when Shin Myung-soon left and sold all the equipment, his wish to get it for free disappeared, and he was now feeling frustrated.

Then Oh Sang-mi, who was watching from behind, looked at Oh Sang-cheol and said.

“How do you handle things, Oppa [older brother, used by females]?”

“That woman clearly said she would only take what she needed. I didn’t know she would stab me in the back like this.”

“You were stupid to naively believe that woman’s words.”

“Who says I’m not? There’s nothing I can complain about now…….”

Oh Sang-cheol and Oh Sang-mi were frustrated.

Choi Min-sung, who was watching the scene from behind, couldn’t help but laugh inwardly.

If you’re going to do business, you can just buy new ones, but why would you want to be so stingy?

Even though people with money are said to be more stingy, this didn’t seem right.

However, if he said anything here, he wouldn’t be able to get anything out of it, so Choi Min-sung kept his mouth shut.

Then Oh Sang-cheol looked at Choi Min-sung and asked.

“Do you know any used kitchenware stores?”

“You have to go all the way to Wonju.”

“There’s no other way. Let’s go with me now.”

“Yes, Hyung.”

It was the moment when a smile spread across Choi Min-sung’s face. That’s because he can get paid on both sides.

Not only from Oh Sang-cheol, but also from the owner of the used kitchenware store.

The three left the snack bar and headed to Wonju.

At that time.

At Miso Restaurant, five people were happily eating pork belly.

Shin Myung-soon said.

“Eat a lot. Thanks to my son’s friends, I was able to finish well.”

“Yes, Mother, you’ve had a lot of hardships.”

When Hyun-sung replied, Shin Myung-soon continued.

“I don’t know how to repay Hyun-sung for this favor.”

“What favor? Don’t say that.”

“No, when I think about it now, I’m terrified to think what would have happened if Hyun-sung hadn’t opened a store.”

“I feel the same way. I couldn’t have even dreamed of opening a store if Mother hadn’t been there.”

That was true.

The starting point was Shin Myung-soon.

If it hadn’t been for Shin Myung-soon, he wouldn’t have stepped up from the beginning.

Of course, that was because Shin Myung-soon was Lee Jung-woo’s mother.

Fortunately, he remembered this store at that time, and that’s how he got here.

So, Hyun-sung also owed a debt to Shin Myung-soon.

Because he had a foothold for the future.

Then Shin Myung-soon continued.

“To be honest, I’m the one who’s benefiting. I won’t forget this grace.”

“Mother, really…….”

“A person should know how to be grateful.”

Shin Myung-soon held Hyun-sung’s hand tightly.

She felt the warmth of Shin Myung-soon’s touch.

It was then.

The door opened and someone came in.

“Oh? Mister?”

It was Park Hee-chul.

“You were here, may I join you if it’s not too much trouble?”

Park Hee-chul looked at Shin Myung-soon and said.

Then Shin Myung-soon replied, slightly shyly.

“Of course, please sit down.”

Hyun-sung jumped up and brought a chair to make room, and Park Hee-chul thanked him and patted Hyun-sung on the shoulder.

Then he looked at the grill and said to Shin Myung-soon.